"A family based in the northern part of London is looking for an exceptional and experienced tutor to support their smallest child on his initial journey to growing into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this post, you might easily overlook the term "initial stages" as mere figurative language.
Yet, it may be the most important aspect of this unusual position posting, as it attempts to hire a teacher for a 12-month-old.
Numerous of submissions have now been submitted since the anonymous family published their call for the £180k-a-year tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the advert has gained notice in the news, with several wondering why?
Progressive Approach
A tutoring expert, CEO and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is assisting the family in their quest, stated that despite initial skepticism, he found the plan "forward-looking", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he mentioned they understood the atypical nature of their request, and how early in age their son is.
But, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their older child was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had already taken hold".
What precisely did the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "all-encompassing", Adam answered. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He said the firstborn had adopted "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural habits. The family informed the consultant they wished to avoid this pattern to repeat itself with their younger child.
The intention: To bring in a British tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the education at the start here is rather acquired indirectly," said the CEO.
It's by means of this osmosis that the family are expecting the child will adopt the English characteristics they want to instil.
Adam explained the tutor had to be someone who went to "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The instructor simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they don't even know they're doing, just naturally," he commented.
Expense Not a Factor
The family explained to the expert the chosen tutor should ideally also have knowledge of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a wide range of interests.
Additionally though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a selection of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and picking up an tool by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son develop into a "English gentleman" will result in accomplishment and provide access.
"For all the rights and wrongs of that, because it's certainly a class statement," he notes.
But, in spite of all this instruction in "English culture", would the child absorb alleged cultural leaning from the international family he resides with regardless?
"Yes", answered he. "They know this may not work, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'we should try and let's go as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is not relevant," he stated.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
A number of in the tutoring industry who have those concerns.
An education leader, head and founder of a tutoring service, who supplies personal educators, stated that "the process of becoming bicultural, or indeed, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not engineered."
Peter noted that he had relocated from the Far East to the UK at the age of childhood, and had been educated knowing and living two backgrounds. He continued to be educated at the University of Cambridge.
"The notion that an individual can serve as a living vessel of English culture, someone who can in some way transfer the attributes of a UK sophisticate upon a one-year-old child, appears optimistic and unfeasible," he commented.
"From my perspective, engaging a quintessentially UK tutor from early childhood will does not instantly achieve the outcome they desire.
"I did not have such a figure, and yet I have been privileged enough to live many of the situations they desire for their son."
He added: "The reality is, cultural identity should not be forced from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Certainly, English culture is something Adam hopes can be educated – and marketed.
"I think the reality that the international society holds us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
